Cestirande
Cestirande
Religion
Traditions
-10% Cavalry Cost
-10% Core-Creation Cost
Order Of The Long LanceFounded by Daran síl Cestir after the War of the Sorcerer-King, the Order of the Long Lance is a venerable knightly order headquartered in Lancecastle. It was originally tasked with guarding the eastern border of the Kingdom of Dameria. Its knights were renowned lancers and participated in many tourneys and battles throughout the centuries, their fearsome charges shattering lines of infantry with ease.\n\nEver since the formation of Anbennar, the Order's status and importance diminished. The long years of peace in Anbennar meant that fewer and fewer knights joined it. Yet the Order served Dameria faithfully until the Lilac Wars. During that conflict, Vincen II síl Cestir, the Duke of Cestirande and Grandmaster of the Order, declared independence from Dameria and joined the Rose Party. In 1444 the Lilac Wars were over and the Order was on the winning side, but only thanks to their betrayal of Dameria.
+0.25 Cavalry Shock
Pragmatic OpportunismThe Dukes and Duchesses of Cestirande were always known for their opportunism. When Jexis invaded, they swiftly swore loyalty to her. During the Interregnum, they were quick to join Dameria. Initially they supported the magocratic rule of Anbennar, then they joined the other nobles in the Wars of Rule. And lastly, they were among the fiercest supporters of the House of Silmuna, but nevertheless sided with the Rose Party in the Fourth Lilac War. This pragmatic yet dishonourable behaviour earned them few friends but many territories. Unfortunately, it did not result in the prettiest of borders.
-15% Province War Score Cost
-10% Unjustified Demands
Loud And ProudDespite ruling a relatively small realm, the rulers of Cestirande always behaved more like mighty kings. As such, they were not afraid of insulting actual kings of other countries, especially after betraying them. Perhaps the most infamous such insult was recorded during the Battle of the Moon Council, when Duke Vincen II síl Cestir called Adénn "Skylance" Silmuna "Brokenlance of the Waning Moon". This dangerously sharp wit showed no signs of fading in later generations of Dukes and Duchesses of Cestirande.
+100% Power Projection From Insults
Trade Rivalries On The LunaThe greatest ambition of the Dukes and Duchesses of Cestirande was gaining control of the river Luna and its lucrative trade route. Slowly but surely, by kowtowing to various overlords, they managed to expand their realm and gain more and more control of the river. But opposing them were the Vernmen of Galéinn, who shared their ambition. This rivalry lasted for countless years and showed no signs of stopping after the Lilac Wars. If anything, it became increasingly intense as the two countries battled for dominance over the river. Later on other countries got involved, yet Cestirande stubbornly fought on.
+25% Embargo Efficiency
+10% Provincial Trade Power Modifier
Cestirander Universal HorseWhile Cestirande was a small and relatively insignificant realm, its unique horse breed was rather well known in Cannor. The Cestirander breed was versatile, sharing traits of both cold-blooded and warm-blooded horses. The Knights of the Long Lance rode on them during tourneys and battles while farmers used them as work horses. As the importance of cavalry on the battlefield diminished, the latter role would become increasingly important, and the horses were crossbred with cold-blooded ones to make them better draft animals. The Cestirander horses would become the engine of local production, plowing fields and hauling freight.
+10% Goods Produced Modifier
Knights Of Pen And PaperBy fighting eagerly for the Duchy of Cestirande, the knights of the Long Lance had perhaps hoped for some surge in relevancy. Yet they continued to diminish as technology developed and made lancers obsolete. Members of the order became little more than titleholders or low-ranking officers in the army.\n\nEventually, however, the Order did have its resurgence. The Dukes and Duchesses of Cestirande began to grant the title of knight to court officials and bureaucrats as a reward for exemplary service. This new generation of knights did not wield the lance, but the pen. The burgeoning paper industry of the Duchy's capital, Cestaire, grew to primarily fuel these new knights and their numerous writings.
-25% State Maintenance
The Ducal DecreeWith an ever-expanding bureaucracy created to manage an overstretched territory, Cestirande became a centralized state. Its Dukes and Duchesses used this bureaucratic machine to exert power over their subjects, dissolving the power of the nobility and the clergy. Their power was absolute, and only an outside force could bring an end to their rule.\n\nAfter the unification of the Empire of Anbennar, many Cestiranders would work in the administration of the huge nation, becoming vital cogs of the sprawling bureaucratic machine.
+10 Maximum Absolutism
Ambition
-10% Administrative Technology Cost
History
TBD
Strategy
TBD